Because It's Gone

"Waaah!"

What greeted me when I turned my head from that wailing voice was a dreadful spurt of horror.

The middle in height among the three bunch of idiotic Alipins is busily facing of an injured crocodile.

"How did that one manage to come up here," I thought.

But looking at some distance away, I could see 3-5 more sunken boats destroyed by an unknown situation that probably occurred, stacked up high together that formed like a stair.

My guess was, somebody must have attacked this other tribe person...

"And who else would do that other than pirates?"

Or perhaps, I am wrong. I better ask him later.

But first, "Let's take care of that crocodillo."—well am referring to this peculiar croc, I did not notice before but its back is different from the rest.

Its spikier and those shells looked like from that armadillo.

As I was comparing its shell to an armadillo. I threw the other spike I was holding.

It arched into a walloping curve before it was directly pushed towards the crocodile's eyes.

But like the Apex predator it was, it sensed the upcoming danger and immediately swung its powerful tail which helped him move his limbs faster in order to evade the spike.

The spike clashed with its sturdy shells, snapped into two—broken, utterly useless against its compact shells.

Well, it was never meant for striking anyway.

Then at the bottom left of that crocodile, I've hit just now, another crocodile seems to climb atop.

I had no choice but to get a head-on collision.

"I lost two of my spikes."

The only weapon I could relly now was this bladed spear with gecko carvings.

But at that moment, while I was busy running to get close, out of nowhere, a croc suddenly lunged against me.

Good thing I was quick to sense it.

I managed to evade its razor-sharp fangs just a bit earlier.

The distance between my arms and its jaws... was a short hair's breadth!

If I was a little bit slower, it could have ripped my arms apart.

"I now felt the limitation of this young boy's body."

Then I strike a counter-attack by swiftly thrusting the spear at hand below its jaws.

And the croc rang out a screeching cry.

"It was not enough to fatally injure this beast."

Followed by a thrust, I moved my feet—interchanging my right feet to left as I swayed and swirled my hands into a quick turn, suddenly swinging the spear to its eyes.

All in two breath's time!

And the pitiful croc cried out in surprise as it moved back, several paces away from me.

I immediately shifted my attention towards the bunch of idiots who then issued a cry of fear.

"Badong! Help us!"

Then, It suddenly happened!

The taller Alipin got his left foot ripped, gnawed like candy, chewing it wantonly.

Blood spurted out from his hind legs like a fountain.

And the ground welcomed the flow of crimson-scarlet water, dripping from that Alipin who cried out in horror.

"Badong!"

"Fck Damn!"—I yelled as I dashed to them while raising the spear and the tip of the spear's blade was pointed like a dashing arrow.

Busily grinding its fangs together, claiming its prize.

The croc didn't have time to notice me approaching.

I thrust the spear towards the crock and its front head was hit.

"Tsk. not close enough!" I inwardly scowled, missing my aim due to my miscalculation of distance.

I stepped back to wait for another opportunity to strike.

The croc wailed in fury as if to scream that he hated me for interrupting him, from eating its snack.

It spitted out the fleshly bones it has eaten.

The horror of the grassy lands painted in red brought me back to my past.

Back then, it was also like this—blood, iron, and powder would cover my eyes and the scent would make you dizzy.

At each battle, I gained scars. Scars that later became my pride.

It thought me how to live a second little longer.

Those made a huge difference now, like an edge that would allow me to kill anyone.

And it didn't take long before the croc gifted me one!

Being so used at seeing blood made the difference.

The croc leaped with its jaws popped wide, ready to gnaw me in my entirety.

I bent my knees down like a grasshopper, putting all my strength unto my legs.

Then at the perfect timing, I also leaped and pointed the spear beside. With my force and its force against itself, the strike is more effective than what I initially thought.

The spear pierced the crocodile's wide-opened jaws before it could directly reach me.

then its eyes slowly and faintly dimmed...

Now dead.

the spear dug deep beneath its mouth's roof and luckily I reached some gaps from its bones.

And so I successfully pierced and reach its head.

Then, while circularly swinging the spear, allowing the blood to splatter on the ground,

A chipped spear revealed itself.

In front of its tip, there was a visible chapped mark, while beside it, the metal was slightly deformed.

I reached out my hands to examine if it is still alright to use and noticing that it didn't move from my repeated swings, I've put the spear low.

Gasping for breath, I sigh deeply.

And like brainless chickens, the two remaining Alipins nodded their heads in awe.

I gazed back at the injured, tallest Alipin.

No, I should say: "Ravaged?"

I took pity with this fellow. He won't be able to use his left foot forever now.

"Because it's gone..."

Then, one of the two dazed Alipins came back to his senses.—clearly, still could not believe with his eyes of what happened.

"Waaah! What would happen to Talto now?" Cried out by the smallest Alipin.

Immediately coming close to the mouth-foaming, unconscious Alipin.

Now, I kind of feel guilty for calling them, idiots.

Looks like the name of the tallest Alipin is Talto.

I sighed, realizing that I failed to save him.

While relaxing my cramped muscles, I slowly breathed, inhaling, and exhaling lightly.

I slowly approached the unconscious Alipin as I tapped the head of the dazed middle height Alipin.

Like a brainless chicken, it tilted its head, lost in thought.

I had no time to spare of guessing what he was thinking.

I ripped a piece of cloth from his shoulders and due to his clothes already been tattered, it was easily ripped off.

I stared at the bleeding legs of Talto, his feet were raptured and there are two to four deep holes carved unto his legs which bled a ton of scarlet blood.

His lower body was literally drenched in blood.

Sadly, there was no ice here to help lower the blood's bleeding.

If this continues, he will surely die out of blood loss.

I shook my head helplessly while the two Alipin cried out.

"Badong, please help him..."

I was irked by that cry of help remembering their idiotic faces when I ordered them to head up in the mountains.

If they immediately went there, none of this could've happened.

And besides, I can't help but ask...

"Why did the three of you did not run?!" I roared out of frustration.

And like headless chickens, they could only bow their heads in surrender.

"See what your pointless debate had taken?"

"It cost the three of you, a life!"

And after deliberately making my point, I shifted my gaze at the distance.

Many more crocs raised themselves, out from the river.

Each was bearing their razor-sharp fangs and exercising their jaws, opening and closing them in a repeated fashion.

As if to gesture that they're up here for some revenge.

After all, I killed two of their kin.

Four are badly wounded with their eyes gouged.

And another four who are lightly injured with their jaws scrapped.

Actually, this is abnormal.

Normally, if you showed some resistance, a croc would back off. Especially if you went back to return to land.

But this time, they are actively pursuing.

"That means, they are after something..."

As I thought deeply, while studying their actions, I remembered that there are still two crocs who are left uninjured.

They totaled to ten overall, minus the two who are killed.

I looked at the distance, gripped the spear tightly, gnashed my teeth fiercely.

And then I breathed a deep inhale followed by a long exhale.

"This shall be difficult." I Inwardly mumbled while I stood tall at the patch of the now, scarlet grass.

And it was the sequel of a tiring battle, where the newly found world continued to marvel at my courage.